Thursday, March 14, 2013

Having a Partner vs. Working out Solo

You may be trying hard to get
regular exercise and make healthy food choices,
but if you don't have like-minded friends, this can be hard to get into.
Working out by yourself can be pretty difficult. I highly recommend finding a
workout partner to maximize your program. When it comes to exercise, you don't have to go it alone. In fact,
studies show you'll improve your overall results by working out with a partner.
It's why Lance Armstrong and Matthew McConaughey team up for athletic
challenges, and why Madonna and Gwyneth are forever together at the gym. Even
Barack and Michelle are known for sweating it out together. Yet, sometimes it’s
not for everyone. There are some benefits to working out by yourself as well as
with a partner.

There are 5 key reasons
why having a partner is a good course of action:

1.They provide motivation. Having a partner helps for the days when you don't
want to work out, they will be there to get you out the door. And for the days
they feel like skipping, you will get them to the gym. When you want to give up
completely, they will talk you into sticking with your plan.

2.They serve as spotters. When you do exercises such as bench press, squats, military
press, etc. Your partner can help spot you. They will keep your workouts safer
yet more challenging at the same time, along with checking your form to make
sure it is proper the whole time. By having a spotter you will be able to push
yourself to new peaks because you will have them to help you.

3.They increase your exercise arsenal. There are numerous strength
moves you can do with your partner, like crunches with a medicine ball, partner
pushups and leg tosses. These are fun and very effective.

4.They provide companionship. Misery loves company. Working out can be lonely,
especially long cardio sessions. Having a friend next to you to talk with while
you slave away on the elliptical can make the time fly by and actually make it
fun rather than a chore.

5.They provide competition. There is nothing in this world that makes us as human
beings push ourselves to new limits like the thrill of competition. If you have
a partner who is slightly stronger than you, it can be surprising to see how
hard they will push themselves to surpass their partner and they joy they would
get from doing so.

Some reason to go
solo:

1.Nothing but time. When you work out by yourself there is nothing holding you back
except you. You don't have to wait for anyone to work out just when it is
convenient for yourself and you can make your workout as long or as short as
you want it to be.

2.Speed efficient. Generally working with a partner takes longer do to the waiting
time in between set. If you just want a quick workout you are able to power
through it without a partner holding you back. Especially if you and a partner
are at different strengths, you lose a lot of time simply changing the weights.

3.Less distractions. Working out by yourself also takes out distractions. It allows
you to focus on your workout and tune the outside world out. Too often there
are just workout groups standing around and talking rather than actually
working out.

Moral of the story is
plan to see that having a partner is in most cases seems to provide more
benefits than working out by yourself. I personally work out on my own normally
only for the reason that my schedule doesn't allow me to really link up with a
partner. I would work out with a partner if I had the option. Working out by
myself is annoying sometimes because I can't push myself to my max potential in
certain areas without one. Plus it's nice to see gains as a team; it makes the
sense of accomplishment greater. So if having a workout partner is not for you,
that’s fine, but at least consider giving it a try.

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